Influence of Psychological Factors on Product Development

This book focuses on the interrelationships of social, technical, and organizational aspects of the product development process. Cases observed in industry and research laboratories are presented and interpreted based on the socio-technical system approach (Emery/Trist) of examining the reciprocal relationship between the technical and the social subsystems. This book is primarily intended for engineering and quality professionals who want: -to know the limitations of current methods used in product development; -to examine the so-called soft factors by means of grounded studies of their effect on R&D performance; and -not only to acknowledge the influence of soft factors but to actively consider their potential to improve the work environment.